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Remembering Chattanooga’s coldest day on record

Chattanooga’s coldest day on record was Jan. 26, 1940, when the Scenic City hit -13°.

A creek in the winter showing snow on the rocks and hikers in winter gear

Here’s hoping history doesn’t repeat itself, because brrr.

There’s no getting around it: It’s cold, Chattanooga.

This winter has already given us one good snow day + it seems the icy temps are here to linger with recent lows of 30°, so we’re staying inside and looking back at some of the headlines on the coldest days we’ve had here in the Scenic City.

The day the cold set records

Chattanooga’s coldest day on record took place on Jan. 26, 1940, when temperatures hit a record-breaking -13°.

That sure puts this weather in perspective, huh? The closest we’ve come to that temperature in the past few weeks was when temps got to 12° on Monday, Jan. 20.

What the headlines said

So, what else was going on in Chattanooga on the coldest day on record? Looking back, the Chattanooga Daily Times reported who all would be serving on the committee for the 7th annual President’s Birthday ball (in honor of President Franklin D. Roosevelt) at Memorial Auditorium + which prominent Chattanoogans would have their own box.

The papers also covered the intense weather we were having at the time, saying the frigid temperatures caused the Tennessee River to see its first freeze since 1918, impacting the Chickamauga Dam.

How to weather the weather today

Okay, so we’re not breaking records (yet), but that doesn’t mean braving this weather is easy. Thankfully, we have 12 museums to explore indoors + seven soups to indulge in.

Don’t forget to check in on Tennessee’s inclement weather resources and take a peek at what the rest of the season has in store for us. Who knows, maybe this will be a record-breaking year after all.

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